Technology

The First SaaS App Builder Platform To Accept Bitcoin

Boutique start-up company Mobihighway Ltd. announced they are accepting Bitcoins to host mobile apps built with their online, self-build app platform, www.approokie.com.

London,, United Kingdom, - December 10, 2013 /MarketersMedia/ — Approokie.com is now offering Bitcoin as a payment option for its SaaS app builder platform. It is offering Bitcoin holders, and Bitcoin merchants worldwide, the possibility to create apps for Bitcoins and to integrate Bitcoin checkout methods within their mobile apps. The launch also offers a discount on several packages exclusive to Bitcoin buyers.

App Rookie offers a relatively new way to create mobile apps. Just as the market is changing for app development, Bitcoin is disrupting e-commerce. App Rookie wanted to be a participant in the burgeoning crypto-currency market and be on the forefront of SaaS app solutions by accepting Bitcoins.

App Rookie offers a convenient ‘WordPress’- like solution to building mobile apps for small to medium sized businesses. The coding architecture is done behind the scenes allowing the user to quickly develop a mobile application, or mobile website for their business, by simply adding unique content and graphics to user friendly templates. Monthly subscriptions and yearly plans are now offered in Bitcoins.

The launch of App Rookie’s Bitcoin friendly website comes on the heels of a highly volatile period for Bitcoin. Since mid-October, two announcements helped the price rocket and push it out into the mainstream. An announcement by Richard Branson to start accepting Bitcoin for Virgin Galactic; and by Baidu, the Chinese equivalent to Google, that it started accepting Bitcoins for one of its divisions, Baidu Jaisule, helped propel the price from around $200 to its recent stellar heights of over $1200. However, growing concerns about Bitcoin prompted a Chinese government announcement to ban Chinese banks from transacting in Bitcoins. Baidu quickly followed suit with a turn around on acceptance, and both events caused it to lose more than half its recent gains overnight. The price has stabilised, trading around the $700 range, still above levels seen two months ago.

It is likely that Bitcoin will still remain a currency of high volatility and uncertainty for the foreseeable future. However, despite the swings, there are a growing number of Bitcoin merchant payment gateways which are beginning to flourish and compete with traditional payment processors. They offer less expensive, or zero processing fees, adding to the attraction of Bitcoin. These gateways require merchant account verification and offer to convert Bitcoin back into local currencies by daily direct deposit. “We would like to add to the viability of Bitcoin as a medium of exchange, and would like to see more retailers accepting it” said Nancy Court, Founder of Mobihighway and AppRookie.com. “Bitcoin is still in its infancy and will remain influenced by birth pangs until it is more established. Competition for crypto-currencies will also likely arise, but for now, it is still all about Bitcoin. As a business, we want to be inclusive and cater to those clients who want to transact in Bitcoin. It is simply an extra currency at our checkout and offers a cheaper alternative for transacting than the traditional payment gateways."